I'm on a new path, my friends, and I invite you to companion me as I explore its mysteries.

Late Friday night/early Saturday morning I discovered Phil Douglis's galleries here on PBase. Many of you might already know of, or even have worked with, this teacher of what he calls "Expressive Travel Photography." After spending hours that night studying and responding to twelve photos and text in his Gallery One: Travel Abstractions -- Unlimited Thought, and then engaging in interactive comments regarding his work and my own during the day on Saturday, I knew this way of using photography as a tool of creative and human expression was something I'd like to explore with more intentionality and commitment.

And so yesterday I began. My first subject on that rainy Sunday was our screened porch and some of what it contained. You can see the results by going to "My Porch Abstracted" photo gallery. You might find it interesting to read Phil's comments under each of the eight images posted. And then this morning (Monday), as I worked at my laptop, I saw with new eyes what had always been there but I'd never really noticed before. That was the genesis of this photo.

As they say, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. That's what it feels like here. Just as I was finding myself repeating myself in my Photoshop manipulations, another approach appears, one that will hone my eye, my technical skills, and my powers of communication. Yes, I feel ready to begin...